Harness.



I. X. SGHUMAKER.

muss. AIPLIOATIOI FILED IUI E 15,1908.

Patented Jan; 5, 1909.

rm: MORRIS PETERS :11, wAsmlynmu, a c.

FRANK X. SCHUMAKER, OF FORT SCOTT, KANSAS.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Serial No. 438,562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK X. SCHUMAKER, citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Scott, in the county of Bourbon and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Harness, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in harness; and it consists in a breast-collar and a trace connected through the medium of the peculiar and advantageous means hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification: Figure 1 is a view illustrating a breast-collar and a trace properly positioned on a horse and connected together through the medium of my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the longitudinal center of the breastcollar, the trace and my improvements; said view being on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the metallic link com prised in my improvements, removed.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which:

A is a breast-collar which is made wide in the conventional manner in order to avoid cutting or chafing of a horses breast. In accordance with my invention the said collar is formed of a single strap tapered toward its end, as indicated by a, and on the outer side of the end portion of the strap is provided a loop B, preferably of leather, which is stitched or otherwise connected to the strap and has its bight disposed in rear of the end of the strap, as indicated by b and best shown in Fig. 2. The breast-collar is also provided, by preference, with one or more tugs C for the connection of the usual or any other approved means for suspending the breastcollar in position.

D is a trace having a loop a at its forward end, and E is the metallic link through which the loop B and the looped end 0 of the trace are connected together. The said link E is rectangular in outline, and is provided with parallel upright bars (1 and a vertical central bar 0. Thus it will be manifest that the link has two eyes f and g of equal size, and it will also be manifest that when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said eyes snugly receive the bights of the loops B and c, with the result that all of the link is hidden from view except the upper and lower end bars and the vertical central bar e thereof,

and a neat and finished connection is efiected between the breast-collar and the trace, and one calculated to enhance the general finished appearance of a harness. It will also be noted that the said connection is a strong and durable one and is of such a nature that the trace D is free to swing outward and inward on its respective link bar without any tendency whatever of the breast-collar being moved laterally away from or toward the body of the horse. The vertical-central bar 6 of the link. is specifically advantageous because it serves, by reason of its location to lend equal strength to the vertical side bars d. It will be further gathered from the foregoing that the breast-collar A may, by virtue of my improvements, be made of a comparatively short strap, and consequently but a minimum amount of waste will be entailed in reducing the end portion of the strap to substantially the same width as the trace D.

I have shown but one end portion of the breast-collar A and but one trace, but it will be understood that both ends of the breastcollar will be connected with traces in the manner herein illustrated and described.

It is old in harness to provide a breastcollar with buckles at its ends for the detach able connection of traces. It is also old to connect a loop on a tug section and a loop on a trace section through a link having parallel bars disposed in the loops of the sections.

I make no claim to anything in common with the above defined constructions, but

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters-Patent, is:

In a harness, a link formed in one piece and having parallel, vertical side bars, a verticalcentral bar, and end bars connecting the ends of the side bars and vertical-central bar, in combination with a breast-collar having a loop which permanently receives the forward side bar of the link and extends from one end bar thereof to the other, and a trace having a In testimony whereof I have hereunto set loop which permanently receives the rear my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Wit side bar of the link and also extends from one nesses. end bar thereof to the other; the bights of the FRANK X. SCHUMAKER.

5 said loops being arranged at opposite sides of Witnesses:

and adjacent the vertical-central bar of the WALTER GLUNZ, link. L. E. GLUNz. 

